Is the government's Ujjwala target achievable?
The ambit of the Ujjwala scheme is to be increased from five crore to eight crore beneficiaries
Budget 2018: To make India open defecation-free, Centre must invest less in building toilets
The focus should be on educating people and building capacity for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission
Central concerns
In a bid to give more fiscal autonomy to states, the Centre in the last budget gave them a higher share in Union tax receipts. Has this helped …
Financial devolution
With increased funds and Centrally Sponsored Schemes, India’s states now urgently need the institutional mechanism to manage this responsibility
Forget Union budget, track state budgets now
States, already flush with cash surplus of Rs 1.6 lakh crore, will get significantly raised share from the central taxes. Along with this …
Why US-China climate deal is neither ‘historic’ nor ‘ambitious’
It will take the world towards a catastrophic beyond 4°C temperature increase pathway
Budget brings no relief to health sector
FM does not mention Universal Health Coverage, combines rural and urban health missions while making allocations
Ending child marriage, beyond slogans
Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2020-21 speech proposed a task force to review minimum age of marriage for women; child marriage is widely …
GDP loss due to COVID-19 will lead to higher mortality
As economies take a tumble in states, expect a toll bigger than the pandemic itself
Economic Survey 2019-20: Agriculture growth stagnant in last 6 years
Document emphasises sustainable agricultural practices to support farmers and avert water crisis
Economic Survey 2019-20 bets on ‘nexus approach’ for meeting SDG
India needs to focus on goals like hunger and gender parity, where it still scores low
Democratic choice held hostage to cash: A tale of Odisha's urban poor
Though political parties deny such claims and these “incidents” often go unnoticed, the truth is that the poor consider elections to …
Demand for fair pricing of medicines at WHO forum
Delegates say that a frank discussion among all stakeholders would help identify strategies to reduce medicine prices and expand access for all
Budget for children: The story doesn’t change
Crucially missing in the budget is a response from the government in the area of Child Protection
Budget focuses on Gramin Swachh Bharat, clean railways
Swachh Bharat Gramin allocated almost 55 per cent higher funds; by 2019 all coaches of Indian Railways to be fitted with bio toilets
MGNREGS falls short of funds again despite increased allocation in rural sector
Pending liabilities in the scheme means that workers’ wages are unpaid
Climate Change: Fossil firms risk US $2.2 trillion as investment in non-viable projects
If companies across the world continue fuel production in a business-as-usual scenario, UN action to achieve the climate goal will stall …
Railway budget promises clean water, better hygiene and safety
Ministry says it is seeking Cabinet approval to allow foreign direct investment in rail sector
Small farmers have little to cheer about
Companies will benefit most from steep hike in farm credit
NaMo budget on transport and pollution: Green expectations - Dashed hopes
NDAÔÇÖs maiden budget upholds and supports UPAII blunders to protect the automobile industry while ignoring the perils of …
In the name of the farmer
How we reviewed NDA’s interim budget last year
Modi government’s maiden budget was a patchwork of abandoned schemes being revived or existing ones being re-named. Despite some fund …
Renewable energy: areas of concern for Union Budget 2013-14
There is a need for mainstreaming renewable energy, but the budget outlay proposed in the 12th Plan is grossly inadequate
Expect budget to be rural-centric, focus on delivery to beneficiaries
PM Modi has already launched a major water conservation campaign, put the focus of his second tenure on revival of the agrarian economy
Poverty eradication - Why do we always fail?
The government plans to bring one crore households out of poverty by 2019. Such targets are announced each year, but why don’t they work?